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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24670939">Beware of Pretty Faces</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/HopeSilverheart/pseuds/HopeSilverheart'>HopeSilverheart</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Loving Em at 2AM [19]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Shadowhunters (TV), The Shadowhunter Chronicles - All Media Types</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>(and secretly in love), (but nothing major), Alternate Universe - Criminals, BAMF Alec Lightwood, BAMF Isabelle Lightwood, BAMF Lydia Branwell, Blood and Violence, Canon-Typical Violence, Crimes &amp; Criminals, F/F, Girls in Lust, Guns, I mean they're criminals guys, Kissing, Knives, Minor Character Death, Missions, Organized Crime, Partners in Crime, Secret Relationship, Sexual Tension, Victor Aldertree Being An Asshole</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-06-12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 05:49:12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,261</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24670939</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/HopeSilverheart/pseuds/HopeSilverheart</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>“Well it was,” Lydia sighed over-dramatically. Izzy rolled her eyes at her, already sick of this conversation. “But then I heard you argue with your brother again, and I’m suddenly not in a great mood anymore. Still arrogant enough to believe you’re better than me, Isabelle?”</p><p>“Still unwilling to fight me one-on-one to prove you’re not full of shit, Lydia?”</p><p>Or: Lydia and Isabelle are sent on a mission together. Things go... relatively well.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Lydia Branwell/Isabelle Lightwood</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Loving Em at 2AM [19]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1764400</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>42</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Beware of Pretty Faces</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/thatnerdemryn/gifts">thatnerdemryn</a>.</li>



    </ul></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Isabelle narrowed her eyes at her brother dangerously. Alec looked at her impassively, swirling his drink around lazily and raising an eyebrow at her, daring her to say something about his order.</p><p>The brunette grit her teeth, knowing that refusing this mission would be considered as insubordination and would be grounds for punishment – or worse, demotion. No matter how much she hated her brother’s position of power over her sometimes, she knew there was nothing she could do about it.</p><p>Still, she wasn’t about to accept his order without at least <em>trying</em> to change his mind about it. If Alec had one weakness, it was his siblings. Well, them and his fiancé, perhaps. Magnus could be quite charming when he wanted to be.</p><p>“Lydia and I?” she asked as neutrally as possible. It wouldn’t do for her brother to hear the hatred and hunger behind her words. Lydia and she had managed to keep their rocky relationship under wraps so far, and Izzy wasn’t about to ruin that because of one stupid mission. “Are you sure that’s a good idea? We’re your two best women, surely you don’t need both of us out there for what’s essentially a one-person job.”</p><p>Alec levelled her with a steady look, clearly unimpressed by her futile attempts at getting out of the mission. She was going to accept it and they both knew it. Her protests were just her way of making it obvious how <em>ridiculous</em> she thought her brother could be sometimes. It was the only defiance he allowed her, and it was already more than he allowed most people, so she wasn’t about to whine about it.</p><p>“We’re talking about Victor Aldertree here, Isabelle,” he reminded her, waving his hand towards the report in her hands. “If you want to sit this one out, be my guest. I just thought you’d want to deal with this one yourself.”</p><p>“Of course I do!” Izzy exclaimed. “I just don’t understand why Lydia has to come with me! I’m perfectly capable of taking him down by myself, Alec, I don’t need a bodyguard. The only thing your pet blonde will do is get in my way, just like she always does when we go on a mission together.”</p><p>“Oh, but <em>hermana</em>,” her brother smirked. “That’s half the fun. Besides, Lydia won’t be your bodyguard; if anything, you’ll be hers. This mission is hers first and foremost. I’m only putting you on the case because I know how much of an asshole Aldertree was to you in the past.”</p><p>“But Alec-”</p><p>“That’s quite enough, Isabelle,” her brother interrupted her, his eyes cold and dismissive. The difference between Alec, Izzy’s big brother, and Alec Lightwood, head of the Lightwood crime organisation was sometimes jarring. It was hard to remember this was the same man who had sang her to sleep and taken care of her as a child when he was glaring at her like that. “I need my best woman on this, and as much as I love you and know how amazing you are with that whip of yours, Lydia is better. Maybe in a few months I’ll be able to trust you on a mission alone, but for now you’re too inexperienced. Follow her lead and please, <em>please</em> don’t screw this up.”</p><p>Izzy scoffed, tossing her braid over her shoulder and grinning darkly at her brother as she walked out of the room.</p><p>“Me? Screw things up?” She called out over her shoulder, ignoring Alec’s dramatic eyeroll. “I would never, <em>hermano</em>. You can trust me with this.”</p><p>She didn’t wait for an answer, knowing her brother would only throw a sarcastic remark back at her or make her fill in more paperwork than usual for her lack of discipline. She knew he loved her, but she also knew how difficult she made things for him sometimes. She could have changed but frankly, they both liked things this way.</p><p>The only person who had a problem with her treatment of Alec was…</p><p>“Well hello there, Princess.”</p><p>Lydia Branwell, her brother’s second-in-command. The woman was ruthless, beautiful, and the bane of Izzy’s existence. It didn’t help that she was the only person in the organisation who had seen Izzy naked and lived to tell the tale. They had only known each other for a few months, but their relationship was already more complicated than the one between Izzy and her mother had been.</p><p>And that was saying something.</p><p>“Didn’t see you there, Blondie. Everything alright?”</p><p>“Well it was,” Lydia sighed over-dramatically. Izzy rolled her eyes at her, already sick of this conversation. “But then I heard you argue with your brother again, and I’m suddenly not in a great mood anymore. Still arrogant enough to believe you’re better than me, Isabelle?”</p><p>“Still unwilling to fight me one-on-one to prove you’re not full of shit, Lydia?” Izzy shot back, staring at the blonde woman challengingly. When Lydia failed to say anything, she scoffed. “Thought not. Someday, I’ll get Alec to allow an official fight between the two of us. You won’t be able to complain about me and my brother’s arguments if I’m your superior.”</p><p>“In your dreams, princess,” Lydia chuckled, trailing her finger down Isabelle’s side. It was a purposefully sexual move and they both knew it. Still, Izzy was helpless to bite back the moan that slipped past her lips at the touch. Lydia’s fingers were grazing over the pale scar she had left on the night of their first meeting, and it never failed to turn Izzy into a wanton mess.</p><p>Her one weakness.</p><p>“Stop that,” she hissed, walking towards the building’s entrance, eager to get this mission over with. Because of course, her brother had known she would complain and had deliberately only told her about the case at the last minute. “We have an asshole to get rid of, and I doubt flirting with me is going to make him die any faster.”</p><p>“Probably not,” Lydia admitted, shrugging nonchalantly as she caught up to Isabelle in two quick strides. “But it’s so much more fun. And you know how much I like my fun, don’t you? It’s my <em>thing</em>.”</p><p>“Yes well, we all have our <em>things</em>,” Izzy grit out. “Doesn’t mean you should be focusing on them when we’re on a mission. If you keep on acting like this, I’ll tell my brother all about your unprofessional behaviour. Maybe that’ll knock you off that infernal pedestal he places you on.”</p><p>“Or maybe he’ll just tell you to woman up and deal with it,” Lydia countered, her smirk widening when Izzy’s steps faltered. The blonde knew how much her brother’s approval meant to her, even though she liked to act as though she couldn’t care less about it.</p><p>Maybe she had two weaknesses. Whatever.</p><p>“Just shut up and take me to your car,” Izzy said, pointedly not looking at Lydia. The blonde didn’t deserve her attention. Not as her sometimes-lover, and certainly not as her ‘boss’. The only person Izzy answered to was her brother. His second-in-command could shove her need to control everyone right up her-</p><p>“Cars aren’t really my thing, princess. You should know this by now.”</p><p>A dark flush appeared on Izzy’s cheeks, and she hoped to hell the darkness covered it. The last thing she needed was for Lydia to know how affected she was by her words. It would already be hard enough to concentrate on the mission and the plan whilst she was pressed up against Lydia’s back.</p><p>Unfortunately, the blonde seemingly knew <em>just</em> what effect the mention of her motorcycle had on Isabelle. She was smirking smugly as she walked straight for her vehicle of choice, swinging her keys around happily.</p><p>She got to the motorcycle before Izzy, and the brunette had to physically stop herself from reacting to the gorgeous sight that greeted her when she looked up again. Lydia was leaning against her motorcycle, two helmets in hand and a smile on her face. She was beautiful and dangerous, and Isabelle fell for her a little more every time she saw her.</p><p>“Like what you see, princess?” Lydia murmured, leaning in close as she handed one of the helmets over to Isabelle. “Your eyes are basically glued to me. It’s quite cute, really.”</p><p>“As though you’re any better,” Izzy smirked, her lips brushing up against Lydia’s teasingly. “Magnets attract each other, blondie. And I don’t think there’s any denying that we make quite the pair. If only Alec could see us now.”</p><p>“If only <em>you</em> could see us now,” Lydia chuckled, nipping at Izzy’s bottom lip for a second before pulling away and throwing her helmet on.</p><p>Even though her entire face was covered by the headpiece, Isabelle could <em>see</em> the smile Lydia was currently sporting. There was no way the woman wasn’t proud of her last line. If there was one thing Lydia loved showing off, it was her skill with words. As good as she was with a gun, she was even better with her mouth.</p><p>In many, <em>many</em> ways, as Izzy had come to know.</p><p>Before her mind could start obsessing about Lydia and the things she could do to Izzy, the brunette tugged her helmet on and slid onto the motorcycle, wrapping her arms tightly around Lydia’s waist. There was something incredibly intimate about their position, even more so than the time they spent in bed together, and Izzy couldn’t help but wonder if it was because like this, she was completely at Lydia’s mercy.</p><p>The only thing keeping her alive was Lydia’s control over her vehicle, and for some absurd reason, Izzy trusted the blonde not to kill her. She trusted Lydia enough to put her life in her hands, which was something she had never imagined when she had first met the woman.</p><p>Because really, as much as she hated Lydia, she was also starting to feel something <em>else</em> for her brother’s second-in-command. Something dangerous that would inevitably get her in trouble, but something, nevertheless. A part of her knew she could still stop it if she really wanted to.</p><p>Too bad she didn’t.</p><p>“Faster,” she whisper-shouted into Lydia’s ear, wanting to feel the wind hit them full speed. She would never trust herself on a motorcycle, but riding one was utterly thrilling and she could easily understand Lydia’s obsession with them. “You’re holding back, blondie. You can do so much better than this.”</p><p>Seconds later, they were speeding through New York City at top speed. Izzy whooped happily, throwing a fist in the air even as her other hand clung tighter to Lydia. There was a fine line between exhilaration and recklessness, one that Izzy had already crossed once.</p><p>She wasn’t eager to cross it again.</p><p>Reaching Aldertree’s apartment complex was a matter of minutes. Lydia and Izzy were stepping off the motorcycle as soon as the engine stopped roaring, and they didn’t even have to look at each other to understand what the plan was. Not only had Alec outlined it in the report, they had also done this enough to know each other’s preferences and strengths.</p><p>Isabelle was walking towards the building’s security guard before Lydia could even say a word. Her blonde partner followed her at a more sedate pace, checking the perimeter for any unseen opponents. Most of the time, their targets were unaware of the plots brewing against them and didn’t think to call back-up, but the last thing they wanted was to get cocky and be caught off guard.</p><p>“Good evening, sir,” she smiled at the man manning the lobby counter. The guard looked awake but bored, which was exactly Izzy’s favourite type. They were always the most fun to play with. “My friend and I are here to visit an… acquaintance-” she punctuated her words with a wink and a playful smirk. “- and we were wondering if you would be kind enough to let us up.”</p><p>The first attempt rarely ever worked, since the guards were too used to drunk people or crazy exes to let anyone in so easily. However, Izzy and Lydia had a lot more tricks up their sleeves, especially since Izzy actually <em>knew</em> Aldertree.</p><p>She may have hated the man but spending time with him in the past meant she could use information against him in the present.</p><p>“See, Victor and I go way back,” Izzy continued when the guard only stared at her, unimpressed by her attempt to get into the building. “You know how he gets with the ladies… A little bit, well, peculiar, don’t you think? I haven’t visited him in a while because of the drug incident, but I’m sure he’ll be delighted to see me again.”</p><p>Instantly, the guard perked up. He eyed Lydia and her shrewdly, clearly trying to decide whether they were truly Aldertree’s lady friends or not. Thankfully, the guard was but a man. Isabelle strategically bent forwards, letting him catch an eyeful of her cleavage, and that was all Lydia needed.</p><p>The hilt of her knife knocked the man out before he could even <em>think</em> about saying something lewd to Isabelle.</p><p>“Nice one,” she grinned at her partner, winking at Lydia before turning around and heading for the elevator. They had an asshole to murder and Isabelle was all too eager to get the job done.</p><p>Lydia caught up to her again, always ridiculously fast even though she was just as short – if not shorter – than Izzy. The blonde reached out to hold the elevator doors open and bowed mockingly at Isabelle.</p><p>“It truly is a nice one, isn’t it?” She twirled the blade between her fingers as they climbed the floors at a steady pace. “Your favourite, if I’m correct. A lot sharper than the black one, and a lot prettier too. Besides, not all of my knives can claim to have left a scar on a beautiful girl’s body.”</p><p>As she spoke, Lydia took a step to her left, bringing her and Isabelle’s sides flush together. Even though she knew it was going to happen, Izzy still jumped at the feeling of fingers trailing down her scar. She shivered involuntarily, leaning into the touch and closing her eyes tightly.</p><p>“Glad to see it still has that effect on you,” Lydia chuckled. “You look gorgeous like this, princess. Are you sure you don’t want to take advantage of our thirty remaining seconds to do something a little more exciting then stand around and talk about my knives and skills?”</p><p>Izzy was on her before Lydia could finish her question, crashing their mouths together hungrily and biting at the blonde’s bottom lip. Lydia moaned into their kiss, her hands tightening around Isabelle’s waist hard enough to leave bruises. They slammed into one of the elevator’s walls, fingers wandering and lips claiming each other. Lydia took a second to nip at Izzy’s throat, undoubtedly marking her up, and then the elevator door opened.</p><p>They pulled away from each other immediately. Lydia straightened her clothes and ran a hand through her ponytail in an effort to tame it down, but Izzy did no such thing. Part of her <em>wanted</em> Aldertree to know exactly what his two killers had done in the elevator. It would make his death so much sweeter if the last thing he heard was what depraved actions Izzy and Lydia had gotten up to a few metres away from his penthouse.</p><p>They didn’t bother to knock, instead kicking his door down and drawing their guns. Isabelle’s whip sat coolly in her left hand, ready to be used at a moment’s notice. With one last smile sent Lydia’s way, the two women split up. It wasn’t like they couldn’t take care of themselves.</p><p>“Oh <em>Victor</em>,” she called out, the tip of her whip brushing against the lacquered floor as she walked. “Come out, come out, wherever you are. My dear friend and I have a bit of a surprise for you, but we can’t give it to you if you hide away all night long. Don’t make me hunt you down, Victor, you know it’ll be a lot more painful for you in the end.”</p><p>She stopped in front of the man’s bedroom, leaning against the doorframe and staring into the room. She didn’t want to step inside if she didn’t have to, and she didn’t think she would.</p><p>A gun was pressed to the back of her head, and excitement flooded Izzy’s body. Their prey had taken the bait. And now, it was time for the predators to have their fun.</p><p>“Isabelle Lightwood,” Aldertree whispered into her ear. A shiver of disgust racked through Izzy’s body. The man sounded as sleezy and oily as ever. “I’d say it’s a pleasure to see you, but you seem to have brought weapons along, and you know I don’t do armed dates.”</p><p>The brunette opened her mouth to answer, but before she could say anything, the distinctive sound of combat boots echoed through the corridor. Izzy smiled darkly, waiting for Aldertree to falter in his distraction before elbowing him in the ribs and ripping the gun from out of his hands.</p><p>“I did tell you I had company, didn’t I?” She laughed, letting her whip curl back around her wrist as she handled the two guns in her hands. Hers was a lot classier than Aldertree, but she had long learned not to expect much from douchebags like him. “You should have listened to me, Victor.”</p><p>“Not confident enough to come alone?” The man spat in her face, clearly trying to get a reaction out of her. Izzy didn’t even flinch.</p><p>“Oh, Isabelle was more than ready to come alone,” Lydia cut in, pulling Aldertree away from Izzy until she could press her blade into the small of his back and her gun to the side of his neck. “My presence here is the boss’ request. Lucky for me, since it means I get to watch my princess have fun with you. She’s <em>stunning</em> when she’s at work, don’t you think?”</p><p>Before the man could say anything else, Lydia was pushing him onto his knees and baring his neck. Like that, Aldertree looked like he was submitting himself to Isabelle. The only thing she could think of that might have made it better was Lydia kneeling next to him, ready to submit herself in a <em>very</em> different manner.</p><p>“Later, princess,” Lydia smirked. “We have a target to get rid of first.”</p><p>Izzy’s eyes flashed dangerously, but she knew her partner had a point. She tossed the guns behind her and slashed her whip out instead, a dangerous smirk making its way onto her face.</p><p>“Please, Isabelle, don’t do this,” Aldertree pleaded. Izzy almost grinned when she noticed the tears in his eyes. Unfortunately, she had other things to worry about.</p><p>The whip struck out once, twice, and again and again. Lydia leaned against the wall the entire time, licking her lips as she watched Izzy work. She switched to one of her blades at some point, and Lydia visibly shifted. By the time she was done with him, killing him off with a single bullet to the head, both women were obviously worked up.</p><p>There was blood all over Izzy, but Lydia had never been one to flinch away from such things. When she strode towards Isabelle and licked the blood off her lips, the brunette wasn’t even surprised.</p><p>And if they defiled the crime scene a little more after the murder? Well, no one would know but them. Them and Aldertree’s body.</p><p>Isabelle hoped he was weeping in hell.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Heya guys! Thank you so much for reading! This fic isn't beta'ed so feel free to point out any glaring mistakes. I've been loving writing things in this universe, I just adore the relationship between Lydia &amp; Isabelle, so here we are again... And I couldn't resist adding Alec to the mix this time! I hope you all enjoyed (: </p><p>Love, Junie. </p><p>(find me on tumblr @hopesilverheart)</p></blockquote></div></div>
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